Michigan Wolverines running back Kalel Mullings (20) warms up before Michigan hosts Oregon at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Nov. 2 2024.

ANN ARBOR – Linebacker is one of the biggest needs remaining in Michigan’s 2026 recruiting class, with just one three-star prospect currently committed at the position.

Michigan Wolverines linebacker Jimmy Rolder (30) celebrates a sack during the University of Michigan Football vs Fresno State at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024. Michigan defeated Fresno State 30-10.

Linebacker recruiting has largely been a strength of the program over the past decade, though, despite frequent turnover of coaches overseeing the room. Brian Jean-Mary is in his second stint as linebackers coach for the Wolverines after previously serving under Jim Harbaugh in 2020.

Michigan's Jaydon Hood breaks up a pass to Hawaii's Jordan Murray (7) in the end zone during Michigan's matchup with Hawaii at the Big House on September 10, 2022.

Michigan’s current starting inside linebackers, Jaishawn Barham and Ernest Hausmann, are both transfers, but Jean-Mary and Co. are looking to add some homegrown talent to the room.

With that said, here are Michigan’s top 10 linebacker recruits over the past decade, ranked by their 247Sports Composite rating:

10. Cole Sullivan (Class of 2024)

Rating: 0.9084

Overall ranking: No. 289

Sullivan was a late riser in the 2024 cycle after a standout senior season at Central Catholic in Pittsburgh. He committed to the Wolverines ahead of his senior year when he was still rated as a three-star prospect, choosing Michigan over other finalists Notre Dame, Stanford, Wisconsin and Duke.

He played in 12 games on special teams as a true freshman last season and is expected to compete for a spot in the linebacker rotation in 2025.

Michigan Wolverines linebacker Junior Colson (25) sacks Colorado State Rams quarterback Clay Millen (11) as Michigan faces off against Colorado State at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022. Jacob Hamilton | MLive.com

9. Jaydon Hood (Class of 2021)

Rating: 0.9088

Overall ranking: No. 259

The former four-star out of St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale, Florida is entering his fifth season at Michigan and is still looking to make his first career start at linebacker. He has appeared in 26 career games, including 13 in a reserve linebacker role, totaling 23 tackles.

As a recruit, Hood held 24 reported offers, including from notable programs such as Alabama, LSU, Miami, Penn State and Texas A&M.

8. Jimmy Rolder (Class of 2022)

Rating: 0.9151

Overall ranking: No. 222

Rolder skyrocketed in the national rankings as a senior and committed to Michigan about a month before signing day. He also was a standout baseball player for Marist High in Chicago but chose the football route in college.

The 21st-ranked linebacker in his class earned a role in Michigan’s two-deep as a freshman but missed significant time with injury in 2023. Although Jaishawn Barham and Ernest Hausmann were the established starters at inside linebacker last season, Rolder still found a role and played 200 snaps, earning one of the best defensive grades on the team by Pro Football Focus (83.0). Expect him to push for more snaps in 2025, even with Barham and Hausmann returning.

7. Josh Ross (Class of 2017)

Rating: 0.9184

Overall ranking: No. 212

The third-ranked prospect in Michigan in his class, Ross went on to play in 50 games for the Wolverines, including 24 starts. He earned all-Big Ten recognition in 2020 and 2021 and finished his career with 239 tackles, including 15 for loss and two sacks. By committing to Michigan, Ross followed in the footsteps of his brother, James Ross, who also played 50 games for the Wolverines.

Josh Ross went undrafted in 2022 but has played in 22 career NFL games. He is currently with the Seahawks.

6. Kalel Mullings (Class of 2020)

Rating: 0.9329

Overall ranking: No. 153

Mullings was a highly regarded linebacker recruit but transitioned to running back for his final three seasons at Michigan. The move paid off as he led the team in rushing in 2024 and was a sixth-round pick of the Titans in April.

On defense and special teams, Mullings totaled 27 tackles over his five years in college. A graduate of Milton Academy in Massachusetts, Mullings also was a scholars student and chose Michigan over schools such as Clemson, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Stanford.

5. Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng (Class of 2025)

Rating: 0.9371

Overall ranking: No. 145

The standout out of national powerhouse IMG Academy in Florida was one of the prized coups during Michigan’s late surge in the 2025 class. The Wolverines beat out other finalists Ohio State, Notre Dame, Florida, USC and Texas to land the No. 14 linebacker in the country. He will be a freshman this season.

4. Cam McGrone (Class of 2018)

Rating: 0.9481

Overall ranking: No. 118

McGrone was ranked as the No. 7 outside linebacker in the 2018 class and only spent three years at Michigan before entering the NFL draft. He made 15 starts over his last two years and was an all-Big Ten honorable mention in 2019. McGrone finished with 92 tackles, including 11 ½ for loss and 4 ½ sacks before getting selected by the Patriots in the fifth round of the 2021 draft.

3. Jordan Anthony (Class of 2017)

Rating: 0.9510

Overall ranking: No. 106

The No. 8 outside linebacker in his class redshirted as a freshman and then played a reserve role in 2018 and 2019, recording 14 tackles and one sack in 16 games before entering the transfer portal. He concluded his career at Troy, where he totaled 34 tackles in 12 games in 2021.

Anthony was a four-star prospect out of IMG and was coveted by many top programs, holding offers from Clemson, LSU, Georgia, Ohio State and Oklahoma.

2. Junior Colson (Class of 2021)

Rating: 0.9597

Overall ranking: No. 90

Colson, a third-round pick of the Chargers in 2024, is considered one of the best linebackers in program history, starting all three years in college and totaling 245 tackles (eight for loss). He was a two-time all-Big Ten selection and was instrumental helping Michigan win its first national title since 2023.

As a recruit out of Brentwood (Tenn.) Ravenwood, Colson racked up more than 30 offers before committing to the Wolverines.

1. Drew Singleton (Class of 2017)

Rating: 0.9626

Overall ranking: No. 79

Singleton is one of a handful of highly ranked prospects in Michigan’s 2017 class that ended up transferring elsewhere. The four-star recruit appeared in just one game with the Wolverines in 2018 before heading to Rutgers, where he had 108 tackles and 1 ½ sacks over three seasons.

The Paramus (N.J.) Catholic graduate was the No. 5 outside linebacker in his class, choosing Michigan over other top programs LSU, Alabama, Clemson and Ohio State.